Cricket's most historic club, MCC, is thinking - aloud, for once - of
merging with Middlesex, its tenant at cricket's most historic ground,
Lord's. The idea, as the MCC secretary Keith Bradshaw told The Times,
is "creating a club akin to Manchester United".

Bradshaw's openness was a breath of fresh air - even if he did
backtrack a bit on seeing the notion in print, emailing members to say
that it had only been "touched upon hypothetically". Hypothetical or
not, it was a bold, interesting thought, of a kind some of his
predecessors would have scoffed at. But whether it makes sense is
another matter. MCC + MCCC = MUFC? It doesn't quite add up.

This is nothing against Manchester United, whom I happen to have
supported since 1970. It's the fact that they are on another planet.
They are a highly unusual sports club, in four ways: support, wealth,
success and fame.

United's ground takes 76,000 people, and is just about full for every
match; last year, their worldwide following was estimated at 330
million. They have won the league nine times in the past 15 years, with
quite a few cups as well. They are shamelessly good at converting
support and success into sterling. Their annual turnover is £212m,
according to last week's report from Deloitte, which makes them the
second richest football club in the world behind Real Madrid. But they
also have an asset that numbers cannot begin to capture.

Their name has a ring to it that carries the deep resonance of
mythology. It is steeped in Munich 1958, the Busby Babes, Matt Busby
himself, Bobby Charlton, George Best, the European Cup of 1968, Alex
Ferguson, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, the Champions League
of 1999, and now Rooney and Ronaldo, the two most electric players in
the Premier League. Their managers get knighted; their shirt is a
global icon. Love them or hate them - and there is plenty to dislike,
from the rapacious pricing to Ferguson's petty boycott of the BBC -
it's hard to deny that they are huge.

Now let's have a look at Middlesex. For quite a long time, from 1976 to
1993, they enjoyed Ferguson-like success, winning seven county
championships in 18 years. And it was partly for one of the same
reasons: tremendous continuity. From 1971 to 1997, they had only two
captains - Mike Brearley and Mike Gatting. And the coach, Don Bennett,
lasted even longer: a staggering 29 years. For the last 10 years,
however, Middlesex have struggled. And their continuity has gone to
pieces. They appointed a new captain in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 and
2007, and some of their coaches - John Buchanan, Richard Pybus - have
lasted a season or less.

They are on the up again now, with a captain, Ed Smith, who is close to
combining the brains of Brearley with the broad bat of Gatting. (Why
Smith isn't captaining the England Lions this winter is a mystery.
While Michael Yardy may be a gritty operator, it's not easy to picture
him playing Test cricket.) But Middlesex remain, for the moment, a
middling team, more of a Middlesbrough than a Man U.

To be fair, Bradshaw and his Middlesex counterpart, Vinny Codrington,
were talking about a (hypothetical) future. They weren't saying
Middlesex were like Man United now. But the results are one indication
of just how far they would have to travel. And things don't look much
more promising on the other scores. The Middlesex shirt is not an icon
in St John's Wood, let alone across the world. Their history is
fitfully glittering, lit up by Compton and Edrich as well as Brearley
and Gatting, but it is history, not mythology. And Lord's gets close to
filling its 30,000 seats only for internationals and Twenty20 games: at
most Middlesex matches, the ground is echoingly empty.

Lord's, as many of Middlesex's captains have found, is not
an easy base for a county side. In the hearts and minds of cricket
lovers, it belongs not to Middlesex, or even to MCC: it belongs to
England.

Financially, they are not even Middlesbrough. Full-price membership
costs £133; at Man United, you'll pay £230 just to park your car.
County cricket has only a modest appeal for broadcasters, and that is
hardly going to change because MCC join the fray. The Times reporter
who got the scoop, Ivo Tennant, writes that MCC would bring "wealth ...
marketing expertise ... success and professionalism". Wealth: yes, but
hardly in football terms. Marketing expertise? It's hard not to laugh.
MCC can't even put up a decent poster outside their ground, telling the
public what is coming up. They conduct marketing with all the
squeamishness of an exclusive private club. They are public-spirited in
other ways - taking the game to far-flung corners, raising money for
tsunami victims - but their dealings with Joe Public himself are still
stiff, verging on stuffy.

What MCC would bring is a great ground. Lord's is world-famous, it has
some stunning modern architecture and it should get even better under
the go-ahead Bradshaw. But a stage isn't the same thing as a theatre
company. And Lord's, as many of Middlesex's captains have found, is not
an easy base for a county side. In the hearts and minds of cricket
lovers, it belongs not to Middlesex, or even to MCC: it belongs to
England.

Bradshaw's motive here is twofold. He wants to "make them [Middlesex]
feel more at home" and to "lift the bar in England ... to have the
narrowest of gaps between county cricket and Test cricket". It's easier
to picture the first intention coming true than the second. Would a
merged team have so much more pulling power? Would it be able to lift
standards without a gaggle of other big teams? Would it stand a ghost
of a chance against the Indian Premier League?

That is the elephant in the room here. As the MCC story was emerging,
cricket was finally coming up with something that might resemble club
football. It is big, brash, both compelling and grotesque: sport as a
vehicle for turbo-capitalism. It may be overhyped, but it is
unmistakably significant, and it is a very long way from an ancient
English club talking to a middling English county. Watch that space -
not this one.

Its not fair to compare directly. We all know that cricket doesn't come close to making football's money. However, within the set of cricket provinces/states/counties, its possible for MCCC plus MCC to become elite, why not? Having the Lords name is a big plus, and used cleverly, MCC could be as well. However, they would need an edge, something to attract. One way to do that is to strengthen the team significantly and become regular winners. Thats critical. Creating a supporters club for the new entity, with special perks for members is another. They need to position the new club, MMCC, as somehow above other county clubs. A good strategy would also be to use T20 as a cash-cow, for funding and improving FC cricket. Ultimately, they would want to be the best in both codes. Yep, I think Marylebone Middlesex CC could be successful, with the right management.

captainjamieuk
on February 21, 2008, 13:32 GMT

The moment Keith Bradshaw mentioned Manchester United was the moment I lost a great deal of respect for him. Lord's and the MCC has a rich history that any organisation would give its back teeth for, which outs them IMHO far beyond Man Utd. I was going to say sell its soul but that's already happening in India. As you say, there is plenty to dislike about Man Utd. The ICC and the IPL are already headed down that route with increasing commitment to the distasteful. I hope that MCC and Middlesex don't succumb to the hype.

naveenkr
on February 21, 2008, 6:54 GMT

It is told,"If there is a will,there is a way". Mr Bradshaw had a great ambition of taking county cricket to newer heights. Usually no one will be in the positive side when something seems to be changing. All will turn their back at that. Manchester United may be the best European football club. But they were not born or built as the best one. They had worked hard to achieve what its now. Football and Cricket may not be similar,especially county cricket may not get as much fame as when Rooney and Ronaldo wear their boots. But still this is a game and it also got fans and support. When there is something exciting taking place,there will surely be audience for that. So make the efforts to make it exciting and then you will grow in name,fame,wealth and all the factors. There would be fans and supporters who die for their heroes as in European League. So this should be a good step forward and it should be well supported .

NishitDesai
on February 21, 2008, 5:04 GMT

Correctly pointed out! MCC or MCCC, single or combined can never reach glory of ManU FC. Football being shorter game and wider reach has much more money than cricket will ever have.

JackJ
on February 21, 2008, 16:30 GMT

Its not fair to compare directly. We all know that cricket doesn't come close to making football's money. However, within the set of cricket provinces/states/counties, its possible for MCCC plus MCC to become elite, why not? Having the Lords name is a big plus, and used cleverly, MCC could be as well. However, they would need an edge, something to attract. One way to do that is to strengthen the team significantly and become regular winners. Thats critical. Creating a supporters club for the new entity, with special perks for members is another. They need to position the new club, MMCC, as somehow above other county clubs. A good strategy would also be to use T20 as a cash-cow, for funding and improving FC cricket. Ultimately, they would want to be the best in both codes. Yep, I think Marylebone Middlesex CC could be successful, with the right management.

captainjamieuk
on February 21, 2008, 13:32 GMT

The moment Keith Bradshaw mentioned Manchester United was the moment I lost a great deal of respect for him. Lord's and the MCC has a rich history that any organisation would give its back teeth for, which outs them IMHO far beyond Man Utd. I was going to say sell its soul but that's already happening in India. As you say, there is plenty to dislike about Man Utd. The ICC and the IPL are already headed down that route with increasing commitment to the distasteful. I hope that MCC and Middlesex don't succumb to the hype.

naveenkr
on February 21, 2008, 6:54 GMT

It is told,"If there is a will,there is a way". Mr Bradshaw had a great ambition of taking county cricket to newer heights. Usually no one will be in the positive side when something seems to be changing. All will turn their back at that. Manchester United may be the best European football club. But they were not born or built as the best one. They had worked hard to achieve what its now. Football and Cricket may not be similar,especially county cricket may not get as much fame as when Rooney and Ronaldo wear their boots. But still this is a game and it also got fans and support. When there is something exciting taking place,there will surely be audience for that. So make the efforts to make it exciting and then you will grow in name,fame,wealth and all the factors. There would be fans and supporters who die for their heroes as in European League. So this should be a good step forward and it should be well supported .

NishitDesai
on February 21, 2008, 5:04 GMT

Correctly pointed out! MCC or MCCC, single or combined can never reach glory of ManU FC. Football being shorter game and wider reach has much more money than cricket will ever have.

No featured comments at the moment.

NishitDesai
on February 21, 2008, 5:04 GMT

Correctly pointed out! MCC or MCCC, single or combined can never reach glory of ManU FC. Football being shorter game and wider reach has much more money than cricket will ever have.

naveenkr
on February 21, 2008, 6:54 GMT

It is told,"If there is a will,there is a way". Mr Bradshaw had a great ambition of taking county cricket to newer heights. Usually no one will be in the positive side when something seems to be changing. All will turn their back at that. Manchester United may be the best European football club. But they were not born or built as the best one. They had worked hard to achieve what its now. Football and Cricket may not be similar,especially county cricket may not get as much fame as when Rooney and Ronaldo wear their boots. But still this is a game and it also got fans and support. When there is something exciting taking place,there will surely be audience for that. So make the efforts to make it exciting and then you will grow in name,fame,wealth and all the factors. There would be fans and supporters who die for their heroes as in European League. So this should be a good step forward and it should be well supported .

captainjamieuk
on February 21, 2008, 13:32 GMT

The moment Keith Bradshaw mentioned Manchester United was the moment I lost a great deal of respect for him. Lord's and the MCC has a rich history that any organisation would give its back teeth for, which outs them IMHO far beyond Man Utd. I was going to say sell its soul but that's already happening in India. As you say, there is plenty to dislike about Man Utd. The ICC and the IPL are already headed down that route with increasing commitment to the distasteful. I hope that MCC and Middlesex don't succumb to the hype.

JackJ
on February 21, 2008, 16:30 GMT

Its not fair to compare directly. We all know that cricket doesn't come close to making football's money. However, within the set of cricket provinces/states/counties, its possible for MCCC plus MCC to become elite, why not? Having the Lords name is a big plus, and used cleverly, MCC could be as well. However, they would need an edge, something to attract. One way to do that is to strengthen the team significantly and become regular winners. Thats critical. Creating a supporters club for the new entity, with special perks for members is another. They need to position the new club, MMCC, as somehow above other county clubs. A good strategy would also be to use T20 as a cash-cow, for funding and improving FC cricket. Ultimately, they would want to be the best in both codes. Yep, I think Marylebone Middlesex CC could be successful, with the right management.